Society of St. Vincent
de Paul
Twinning
What does twinning mean?
Definition:
Twinning is a sharing of the Societies resources with other
conferences. It is a special work of the Society, an activity
of fraternal union and sharing, with which we are able to make
a difference to our twinned brothers and sisters in our
twinned country, and fulfill our spiritual yearning to share
with the poor.
History:
Twinning has been an informal part of the Society for many
years at the international level. Twinning became more
established with a statement that came from the 1979 Plenary
Meeting of the Council-General of the Society, “All monies
collected in the name of the Society anywhere, belong, in
principle, to the poor of the world.”
Canada started developing its twinning process in the 1990s.
Our first twinning coordinator under National President Bob
Martineau, was Rolande Lachance. Under National President
Ellen Schryburt, Heidi Minuti made changes: she sought
twinning representatives on the provincial/regional councils;
she established procedures i.e. application and transmittal
forms; and she promoted twinning at the National level.
In June ’99, the coordinator was June Hart. She clarified the
process of twinning with the assistance of the Canadian
National General Secretary, Nicole Schryburt. June experienced
the complexity of twinning with a multitude of countries that
have various banking and exchange problems, and that have
varying degrees of organization of National Councils. These
experiences helped to further refine the twinning process, as
we make twinning a possible activity of conferences and
councils across Canada.
Types:
The three types of twinning in Canada are:
• external - with another country;
• internal - with an aggregated conference in Canada;
• Pre-aggregation twinning (PAT) - with a conference
developing in a Mission area of Canada.
What would inspire us to twin?
The National Council of Canada has encouraged twinning
committees to organize at all levels, in order to promote this
fundamental activity of our Society. Twinning forges links
with members in the Society in different countries of the
world, both spiritually and materially, through prayer,
correspondence, and financial assistance.
As with all Society activities, the call to recognize and
serve Christ ‘s people, the poor, means that no activity that
we do for them is foreign to us. Conferences and councils in
developed countries can foster fraternal links with those in
developing countries. In this way, they are able to promote a
union of prayer, correspondence and material aid. Twinning
emphasizes the universality of the Society and enables us to
be a witness of Christian charity in action. Funds provided by
twinning can help give dignity to the poor through education,
training and the opportunity to help themselves and their
families.
What is essential for a successful twinning?
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Prayer
The spiritual basis of the Society necessitates that all
twinning links should involve a union of prayer. This can be
done when we pray for the intentions of all members of the
Vincentian family, especially in those countries with which we
are twinned. Another practice, that can be a spiritual link,
would be the offering of a Mass by both the conferences on a
particular day, and if convenient, at a particular time on
that day, when members of both the conferences unite in common
prayers and spiritual banquet.
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Correspondence
A regular exchange of correspondence between twins is
encouraged, to strengthen the bonds of understanding and
friendship. It is preferable that it is done three times a
year, but you can write as often as you wish. The
correspondence could be personal, friendly, and full of
details about members, your work, your local area and
interests, and Society activities. It can also deal with the
cultural, moral and spiritual aspects of life. Photographs are
also helpful. This kind of correspondence evokes mutual
interest, understanding and encouragement, and helps the
twinning conference to assess conditions and needs, and
concerns of the people. A friendship cuts through many
cultural and language barriers.
It is essential that you receive a reply to your
correspondence on a regular basis. If, after 6 – 12 months, no
reply has been received, write a further letter and ask the
Canadian National General Secretary to organize its delivery.
Do not send any further funds until you have received a
reply.
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Financial Assistance
Regular contributions are guided by the policies on
twinning. Currently, funds are sent 4 times a year (February,
May, August, and November, of funds received by the 30/31st of
the month previous) to twinned countries, through the National
Council, for sums of $50.00 to $250.00 per quarter. (See the
next section as to the way to send these funds.) These regular
payments help those who are receiving the funds to plan for
their needs. It is important that you are realistic, sincere
and punctual. Amounts exceeding $250.00 per quarter cannot be
sent, except for special works or development projects. Sums
of money are often worth more in twinned countries. Larger
sums can be used for works such as educational grants (typing
or commercial classes, basic technical training like welding
or sewing, or childcare classes), self-help or job oriented
projects (small-scale industry, book binding or petty shops
run by the poor), or welfare projects (medical clinics, Homes
or Centers). Please inform the National twinning chairperson
if you plan to send money for special works or development
projects.
What steps would you take, as a representative for your
conference or council, to become a twin?
Twinning is an aggregated conference- or instituted
council-based activity. It needs the awareness of the needs of
the poor outside of your own conference or council area, and
the acceptance of this special work by a majority of your
members.
You then need to decide whether you will support a conference
within Canada, in a Mission diocese, or in another part of the
Americas. Policies are specific as to which countries in
Central and South America are available for external twinning.
If you are currently twinning with another country, you can
seek to change your twin or remain as you are, but no new
twins will be made with countries other than those in the
policy. You can twin with more than one conference or country,
or in more than one type of twinning. Particular or Central
Councils will probably be twinned with other particular or
central councils respectively.
Forms are available from your provincial/regional
representative, or the Canadian National General Secretary.
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To be an external twin:
Obtain an application form from your provincial /regional
representative, and forward the completed form to the Canadian
National General Secretary. The twinning chairperson will make
the necessary applications to the National council of the
country with which you want to be twinned. As stated in the
International Guidelines, “Vincentians would violate their
duty of accountability owed to the donors of the Society if
they were to ‘twin’ with a person, group or organization,
which was not a member of SSVP.”
The information about your twinned conference or council will
be sent to you, along with an external transmittal form. Funds
are sent to the Canadian National General Secretary, payable
to Society of St. Vincent de Paul National Council, and she
sends the funds to the National Council of the twinned
country, along with your correspondence, if you have included
it. You may write at any time, preferably separately from your
transmittal, but should not send more funds until you have
received a reply to your correspondence and contribution from
your twinned conference or council. All funds that are to be
sent out of our country must be sent through National Council,
to ensure security and accountability.
-
To be an internal twin:
To be a recipient – Obtain an application form from your
provincial/regional representative, and forward the completed
form to the Canadian National General Secretary. The twinning
chairperson will select or seek an aggregated conference or
instituted council who wishes to twin internally, and notify
them of your request. Upon agreement, the National twinning
chairperson will forward your information to that conference
for their follow up.
To be a donor - Obtain an application form from your
provincial/regional representative, and forward the completed
form to the Canadian National General Secretary. The National
twinning chairperson will select or seek a conference or
council who wishes to twin internally, and notify them of your
request. Upon agreement, the National twinning chairperson
will forward your information to that conference for their
follow up. Funds are sent using the internal transmittal
form.
-
To be a Pre-Aggregation Twin:
Obtain an application form from Doreen Simmers, 10 Uplands
Drive, Brantford, Ontario N3R 6H6, and forward the completed
form to the Canadian National General Secretary. A Mission
contact person that has contacted the Society will be aware
that they are to start the development of a conference. You,
as the aggregated conference, will be paying for invoices
which have been sent to you from the company that has supplied
the aid, given to the poor by Mission conference members. No
funds can be sent directly until the Mission conference
becomes aggregated, ideally within two years.
What happens after the application?
Twinning has been described as a lingering labor of love.
Nothing moves fast in the Society, and it may take 3 to 6
months, or longer, to establish a twinning. Keep up the
correspondence. The cost of paper, envelopes and stamps is
very costly in some countries, so you may be able to help with
these items. Language could also be a problem, if translation
is required. Be patient as it may take several months before
you get an answer.
Try to establish a self-help program with your twinned
conference, so that in the near future, they will become
self-sufficient. Twinning is meant to help people to help
themselves, so that they will not always be dependent on you.
You are not limited to sending money to your twinned
conference. Tools, seeds, medication, equipment, etc. can be
sent. Personal visits can be a part of your twinning. Prayers
should be offered for them, as they will be for you.
As with any organization, reports have to be made. Your
twinning report will be due on March 15 of each year, to your
provincial/regional representative. This enables your
representative to prepare their report for your
provincial/regional AGM, and for the National annual report.
What can you do as an individual Vincentian?
Prayer is the key aspect of all twinning activity, and members
are asked to pray regularly for each other, because without
God’s help, nothing will be achieved.
You can urge your conference to participate in a twinning
program. Offer to be part of a twinning committee, or a
twinning correspondent. Let your conference president know
that you support him or her in a twinning program. Pray as an
individual, and ask your conference to do so as well, such as
remembering your twin in the closing prayers of your
meetings.
Conclusion, from International Council General Guidelines
related to Foreign Twinning
“There is a need to create a new culture of international
solidarity and cooperation, where all – particularly the
wealthy nations and private sector – accept responsibility for
an economic model which serves everyone. There should be no
more postponement of the time when the poor Lazarus can sit
beside the rich man to share the same banquet and be forced no
more to feed on the scraps that fall from the table (cf.Lk.
16: 19-31). Extreme poverty is a source of violence,
bitterness and scandal, and to eradicate it is to do the work
of justice and therefore the work of peace. (Incarnationis
mysterium, par. 12, Pope John Paul II, November 29, 1998).
If you have any questions please contact National Council
phone 613-837-4363
fax 613-837-7375
email
ncc-cnc.ssvp@bellnet.ca
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